


Lost

by synteis, willidothefandango (nagth), WilmaKins



Category: Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Amnesia, First Kiss, Getting Together, Love Confessions, M/M, Mutual Pining, Natasha Romanov Is a Good Bro, Oblivious, Temporary Amnesia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-30
Updated: 2019-08-30
Packaged: 2020-09-30 21:03:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,859
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20453525
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/synteis/pseuds/synteis, https://archiveofourown.org/users/nagth/pseuds/willidothefandango, https://archiveofourown.org/users/WilmaKins/pseuds/WilmaKins
Summary: Tony turns up at Rhodey's office, and he can't remember anything.Except a man named Steve...Written for the Put On The Suit Discord Server Relay





	Lost

Rhodey had seen some scary things in his time. He’d been under enemy fire and he’d taken on armies of robots and he’d watched Tony fly a nuclear warhead through an alien wormhole…

And then, on this nondescript Tuesday afternoon, came an unfamiliar knock on his office door – which was odd, in and of itself. The only people with access to the top floors of The Tower were Nick, Pepper, and The Avengers, and none of them bothered with knocking anymore. So, Rhodey was already on edge when he walked over to answer it, subconsciously tapping his gun before he opened the door. And there was Tony…looking at him entirely blankly. Immediately, Rhodey’s blood ran cold, and before he could work out what was so wrong with this picture, Tony took a little breath and said.

“I’m sorry. I think I’m lost.”

It was the scariest damn thing Rhodey had ever seen in his life. 

His first instinct was to grab Tony by the shoulders and ask what the hell was wrong with him. It was only the nervous way he was standing – so unlike Tony – that stopped him. Rhodey didn’t want to scare him, if he already didn’t know where he was…

His mind racing, Rhodey did his best to smile and say, “Okay, come in” Rhodey couldn’t help but notice the cautious way Tony stepped into the office, nothing like the way he’d usually strut into a room. For a few moments, Tony took in his surroundings – as though he’d never been there before. 

“So…Do you recognise me...?” Rhodey asked, oh so carefully. 

Tony looked up at him, and blushed. “Oh. Um, sorry, no,” he admitted uncomfortably. “I…this is going to sound really weird, but I, uh…I don’t really recognise anything, I can’t remember…well, anything at the moment…” Tony trailed off, self-consciously. 

“Do you know who you are?” Rhodey went on, still pretending he was calm about this whole thing.

“Uh, I know my name is Tony… although I keep trying to think Tony what, and I don’t know…”

“So, what is the last thing you remember? Do you remember what you were doing when… this happened?” Rhodey tried to think strategically. But Tony just shook his head, sadly.

“Just…standing in a corridor, and wondering where I was…” And then there was a sudden flash of inspiration, before he announced, more animated, “Stark. Tony Stark, right?” And Rhodey couldn’t help the sigh of relief when he nodded,  _ yeah, that’s right. _ Tony managed a little smile “So, I don’t know, maybe I am remembering things… maybe it’ll just wear off on its own…”

“Is there anything else you remember, anything at all?” Rhodey pressed, already thinking ahead to assembling the team and what he could tell them and what they could do-

“Steve.” Tony frowned, as though he was confused at himself… but still, he sounded confident of the name “I remember Steve.” And Rhodey would’ve smiled, if it were for the seriousness of the situation.

“You remember Steve?”

“Well.” Tony clarified, the blush deepening. “I remember a man who I’m sure was called Steve, and I remember that he watches baseball and just moans about it the whole time, and that he really likes dogs…and he likes coconut… and that’s about it. So, not really, no.”

“Do you remember that he’s Captain America?” Rhodey asked, and Tony just frowned again, 

“What’s a Captain America?”

Rhodey did smile then.

“Okay, well, maybe we should go find Steve then…” Rhodey suggested. 

And Tony smiled properly then, genuinely relieved. 

**

Steve wiped the sweat from his brow, panting hard as he took swing after swing at the reinforced sandbag.

It had been a tough day; he was called into multiple meetings with authority figures. Usually Tony handled these with shrewd acumen and an ease that Steve could never hope to achieve. However, he was away at SI attending to urgent business, and so the task was left to Steve. 

Steve threw one last hard punch at the bag, rattling the chains and beam it was connected to, before straightening and stalking over to the benches. Collapsing onto one with a grunt, he took a huge swig of water and sighed in relief.

The endorphins coursing through his body was a welcome change from the tense state he’d been simmering in. He felt sweaty but good. Recharged. Maybe he’d get some painting done today after all.

A sudden ringing startled him. He dug into his discarded jacket for his phone and spared a quick look at the caller ID: James Rhodes. Huh.

“Rogers speaking,” he answered quickly.

“Cap, it’s Rhodes. There’s been a situation with Tony.”

Immediately, Steve felt ice grip his body. As Avengers, they faced world-ending dangers weekly, and they’d signed up knowing the risks. Tony, however, seemed to throw himself into any situation with reckless abandon, and being the squishiest human on the team, it was no surprise that Steve worried about him the most.

Steve tried not to think about how it was in part due to his attraction to the other man.

Forcibly relaxing his tight clench around the phone, Steve asked, “What’s the situation?”

“I’m not entirely sure, but…” A pause. “He has amnesia of some sorts.”

“Amnesia?”

“Yea, he came knocking on my door earlier, said he couldn’t remember a thing. Only that his name is Tony, and…” Another pause. “He remembers a little about you, Steve. But nothing else.”

Steve’s heart jumped a little at that.

“We’re heading to the Compound in the jet. You’d better gather the Avengers, I think we’re gonna need more brains.”

Steve was already standing and making his way to the elevator. “On it. ETA?”

“15 minutes. See you soon, Cap.”

**

Tony watched as Rhodey paced the room. On the way over, he had told Tony a little about himself. He knew that his name was Tony Stark, founder of tech giant, Stark Industries. He was a part-time superhero, and a genius inventor. He didn’t feel very genius-like with all his memories gone.

Rhodey said that they had been best friends since college, and now they were both “Avengers”, regularly saving the world. So, he said, this amnesia might be caused by one of the villains they had fought.

“Sir, Colonel Rhodes. Captain Rogers is coming up with the Avengers,” the ceiling voice interrupted. Tony jumped a little. Rhodey had told him about FRIDAY, but it was still disconcerting to hear the incorporeal voice.

Rhodey sat down heavily beside Tony. Tony rubbed his palms against his knees awkwardly, not knowing how he should behave in front of the Avengers.

He felt a weight on his shoulder and turned. Rhodey had placed his hand there and was smiling reassuringly. “Hey, don’t worry, ok? Everything’s going to be alright, we will figure it out together. We’re your friends.”

Tony let his mouth quirk up in a small smile. Before he could say anything further, though, the elevator dinged and a group of people stepped out. Immediately, Tony’s eyes zoned in on the blond, muscular figure at the front.

Steve. He barely noticed his body moving by itself, bringing him into Steve’s space.

Like in a trance, Tony lifted his hand to place it in the middle of Steve’s chest. In his mind, he could picture the uniform with the star right where his hand rested. 

Steve sucked in a breath, his heartbeat accelerating with just that small contact.

"You are Captain America!" Tony said with clear enthusiasm. "I never thought to meet my childhood hero." In the distance, a cough was heard, and Tony was brought back from his reverie. He then began paying attention to the rest of the people who had entered the room with Steve and felt embarrassed, he retracted his hand immediately.

"Well...at least like this he's more open," Clint commented.

"He seems to be remembering some things." Natasha put a small smile on her face looking at both men embarrassed at the moment. In a way, it was tender to see a person like Tony without so many barriers and worries to share what was on his mind and his memories. She thought Steve could benefit from this.

"Are you sure you don’t know what happened to him?" Natasha asked. Rhodey shook his head. "Did you ask FRIDAY to run a scan on him, see if she could make a diagnosis or at least give us some information?"

Rhodey wanted to bang his head, he was so worried for his friend that he forgot about the many capabilities of FRIDAY, his only thought had been to bring Tony to the people he considered family and see if they could help and well, Natasha was already giving some ideas for a course of action so it was worth bringing him here.

"Steve?" Natasha called, giving another almost imperceptible smile when the blonde jumped a little at hearing his name and taking his attention off from the man in front of him. "Why don’t you take Tony to his workshop? See if he can remember some more and ask FRIDAY to run a full scan diagnosis on him, please?"

Steve nodded, it seemed that his brain had suffered a short circuit just hearing about Tony’s little admission and his touch, he didn't even question why he was sent alone with Tony instead of everyone going to the workshop.

He suddenly found himself walking a corridor side by side with the man he felt more than attracted to.

Three pairs of eyes watched them knowingly leave the room.

"I see what you did there!" Clint said accusingly to Natasha. The woman just shrugged, her smile growing a little more.

"It’s a good opportunity now that Tony’s more open and honest. Besides, he seems to be recovering his memory so what’s the harm in giving them a little push?"

Rhodey couldn't argue with that, he was still worried about Tony’s state but everyone in the compound knew that both men longed to be with each other, of course, except them, which was ridiculous. And other than the memory loss that Tony was recovering little by little he seemed perfectly fine. Hopefully, FRIDAY would confirm that.

After Steve and Tony walked some steps in the direction of the workshop, the shorter man spoke again. "Rhodey said the people here are my friends. I can’t believe I’m friends with Captain America!" he said, reliving the emotion his child self would have felt when meeting his idol. Then he stopped abruptly. "Wait!"

Tony turned quickly, eyes so wide that for a moment, Steve was scared that something else had happened and Tony’s condition had suddenly turned for the worse, and he reached to grab him instinctively. 

“We’re dating!” Tony said with a huge grin, interrupting Steve mid-movement. “I remember now, we’re together!”

Steve gaped, hands hovering over Tony’s shoulders, frozen. Why would Tony think that? “No”, he said slowly, “we’re not- Wait Tony what do you mean you remember?”

“The dates! We’ve gone out on dates, all the dinners together, that one time when we went to eat Peruvian food and you kept stealing my ceviche. We had to buy at least three more plates. And the movie nights! We―we saw The Last Unicorn and you cried, Steve. Wow and…there was that one time…” Tony frowned a little, like he’s struggling with the memory, “when you were in the hospital? I think you were hurt and I stayed with you…didn’t I?”

He did remember that. He’d woken up in the hospital room to Tony’s worried face and the feel of his hand clutching his own. While Steve wasn’t too keen on getting a hole in his stomach to get that sort of response, he couldn’t deny that he had enjoyed how for the following week Tony kept checking on him, demanding to see if he was fully healed and touching him more than he had in months (fussing over him, even if when Nat had pointed it out Tony had denied he would ever do such a thing with a huff).

While he was occupied with his thoughts, Tony bridged the distance between them. One of his hands grabbed the edge of Steve’s shirt, as if he craved the contact but didn’t dare to go for more. “I’m sorry I forgot you,” Tony said, looking down with a troubled expression, “I can’t believe I get to have you. I get to have this and I forgot.” 

Tony thought they were together. Tony thought they were in love. Now, Steve really grabbed him by the shoulders, intent on pushing him away, on stopping this, telling him the truth, and that they’re nothing more than friends.

Or, Steve could say nothing. 

He could just go along with Tony, let him believe this and have this one thing. Steve could take this, but then he’d never forgive himself. He revelled for one more second in the heat of Tony’s body, ran his hands down Tony’s arms, and held his hands for just a bit longer, before he had to let go. 

“We- We’re not like that. We’re not together. We’re friends, but- but you don’t love me. We’re not like that, you don’t remember?”Steve choked out and tried to let go of Tony’s hand.

But Tony didn’t let him. His eyes narrowed and he seemed to steel himself. “I do remember. I remember you. The first thing that came back, before everything else, was you and…” he gently framed Steve’s face with his hands and smiled shyly, “and how you make me feel”.

  
And then Tony kissed him.

He must have kissed Steve so many times.

His lips were chapped. Tony could imagine him chewing on his lip, a private stress response that maybe only Tony got to see.

Steve gasped under his lips. Tony took what Steve gave, moving in to him, wrapping his arms around his waist, his hand in Steve’s hair, the short bristles sharp against his palm. 

Tony dared to slip his tongue in on Steve’s next sigh.

It felt like kissing Steve for the first time. Those half-remembered dates, the quiet nights he still couldn’t recall.

How good must that first kiss have been?

He didn’t know how long it had been when he pulled away for a breath of air. He moved back for another kiss but Steve was pulling away.

Tony let him go, ready for the next position but then Steve started walking, almost running down the hall, and Tony had no choice but to chase after him. 

The halls blurred together, all Tony could focus on was Steve. The doors of what must have been the workshop opened up for Steve easily, as easy as they did for Tony.

“Are we really not together, Steve?” Those dates, the easy access to the– Tony looked around– completely awesome, highly epic, definitely classified workshop. Tony would leave everything on the line for this man. 

Silence. Just Steve’s back to Tony, taut across his shoulders.

Where was backup when you needed it? Tony could definitely do with some psychic linking. Rhodey maybe. They’d probably had some good times. College buds and all that. Still friends into their, well however old Tony was now. 

If he’d ever known what to say to Steve in a situation like this, he didn’t now.

Steve’s hands gripped the table like he was trying to stop the world from spinning. His face was tight and closed off, nothing like the smile he’d had earlier.

“I know I don’t have anything to compare it with but I didn’t think my kissing skills were  _ that _ bad.” 

A laugh tore out of Steve’s chest.

“Fuck, Tony, I thought you didn’t remember anything.”

“Well I guess I’m a naturally funny guy,” Tony tried to smile, stretching out his arms wide. 

There was silence for a moment. Fuck. Not even a softening of the eyes.

“Is it really so hard for you to believe I had feelings for you, Steve?” His hand traced up Steve’s really very killer body. “You’re Captain America, I bet you could have anyone you wanted.”

Steve had a broken smile on his face. “And as you once told me, you’re Tony Stark, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist. You left out ‘genius’ so I guess you were being humble.”

“Steve, you’re the only person I remember. Not my best friend, not people I see everyday. Just you. Don’t you think that might mean something?”

“Tony if that was true you’d have said something.” His voice was resigned, absolutely certain and it sparked something in Tony.

“I would, huh? See my previous point about Captain America. I figure I’ve got some issues around asking for certain things.”

Steve didn’t stop so Tony just kept going, “But maybe we could give it a go anyways. The kiss was good I think? If you agree, just kiss me because otherwise I’m gonna keep rambling. Apparently I’m some kind of superhero so do you the amnesia’s like a super villain thing? Do we even have those? Or is it just the medication slash head injury kind of–”

Steve kissed him.

**Author's Note:**

> This fic was written for the Put On The Suit Discord Server Relay Event, by the following authors
> 
> WilmaKins, First line: Rhodey had seen some scary things in his time/Last line: And Tony smiled properly then, genuinely relieved  
Kaz: First line: Steve wiped the sweat from his brow.../Last line: He barely noticed his body moving by itself, bringing him into Steve’s space  
Nagth: First line: Tony turned quickly, eyes so wide that for a moment/ Last line: And then Tony kisses him


End file.
